Publications

Light is the elixir of life, inspiration for artists and an indispensable tool in science and technology. Reason enough for UNESCO to proclaim 2015 as the International Year of Light. And a good opportunity to dedicate the focus of our magazine to this topic: discover how Max Planck scientists work with optical tweezers, film the movements of electrons, or analyse the painting by Caravaggio.
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Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer in children. It can occur in various forms, differing by specific changes in the genetic material of the leukemia cells, but also by their response to therapies. An international team of scientists has succeeded in decoding the molecular characteristics of an as yet incurable subtype of leukemia.

The Max Planck Society is delighted that Emmanuelle Charpentier has accepted the call as Scientific Member and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology. The world-renowned microbiologist principally investigates how bacterial pathogens interact with their environment including the human host. Those studies led her to the instrumental discovery that the so-called CRISPR-Cas9 system of bacteria could be adapted for use as an extremely precise tool to edit genetic material and study gene function.
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Before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2015, more than 30 Nobel Prize Laureates, including Max Planck directors, have signed a declaration on clime change. They call for decisive action to limit future global emissions.
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On Wednesday, the Max Planck Society gathered in Berlin for its 66th Annual Meeting. In addition to the Directors of the Max Planck Institutes and the Society’s Supporting Members, the research organization’s major decision-making bodies also convened. The highlight of the two-day meeting was the Plenary Assembly on Thursday, which was attended by Johanna Wanka, Federal Minister for Education and Research, and Stefan Hell, the recently crowned Nobel Prize laureate.